Art Therapy

I have become friends with a man who lost his house in the earthquake, his name is Eduardo. Because his house was unsafe, he had to move, he moved closer to our house, and I see him when I walk to town. He is in a wheelchair, and his hands and feet are crippled. He sits outside under some shade, and watches the day go by, all day, everyday...

One day when I was there chatting with him, some towns people said he and I had something in common, that Eduardo painted. That got me thinking, why couldn't I take the paints to him, and see what he can do? We started with a pen and paper, and he did really well, so the next time I took paints.

I was thinking of making him a paint set of his own, but I know he can't undo jars by himself, I think the water colors would be best, since they are all on one palette.

Can you tell this is Christo? I did help him even up the heart, but he did the rest, I was very impressed! Yesterday I made my paint kit a little more portable, and Mike is making me a clay handle. 

Always gotta get the chihuahuas in the photo...

I also was recently commissioned to paint "something beachy" for Kimberly at The Cottages, she had some old chunks of wood hanging around, and I gladly accepted the challenge. She picked up the finished works yesterday and paid me! I'm now a "professional artist" ok, kind of a stretch, but hey, I got paid! (Smile)

Have been working on something for our friends at Casa Mar...

And the back...

I seem to be painting almost everyday, but still doing things with driftwood and plastic, Mike has been making clay beads and such for me to use on windchimes and shell hangings.

Our hope is to help artisans in the area sell their works. We will plan with Casa Mar an art fair, and invite other artisans to join, and see where it takes us. High season is coming, and it's never too early to start making things for Christmas and Carnivale. We envision a small store front someday and putting San Jacinto on the map as an artist beach town. So...stay tuned, the adventure continues!

(the GoFundMe is still active, if you'd like to donate to Eduardo, he and many more still need some help. The government assistance from the earthquake is taking much longer than proposed.Thanks so much!)

Listo

The first time I saw the word Listo, was on an Ecuadorean washing machine, it means ready, finished, the end, on the washing machine it meant the washing cycle was over, here it means I'm finally done with my Driftwood Christmas tree...

And the tree topper

Two starfish and a bow made from a plastic soda bottle.

Everyone who stops by to say hello over the fence says it's muy Linda, very pretty, and I would have to agree with them. Now I need to get onto other things, I've been commissioned to make curtains and was even paid for the project with a ...new sewing machine! Woot woot, Merry Christmas to me!!

The last of the ornaments, the colored slings really made these cute.

Shadrach photobomb, he's always wanting to be so close...

And a close up, another project I saw on Pinterest and have been wanting to do. Love how the glittered starfish turned out. (Inspiration picture below)

Manuel has started our work, kitchen island/counter and new seating and side tables in the office/tv room. He's working on the kitchen counter first, which is great because I'll need to use the plastic table I'm using now for sewing. Not a project I can do outside...

Another beautiful day on the coast of Ecuador, even with all these Christmas decorations around me, it doesn't really FEEL like December, probably because it's pushing 85F/35C. Not that I'm complaining, I've said before, and will say again...I'd rather shovel sand, than snow.

Enjoy the day, stay warm (if you're in the cold) and stay tuned, the adventure continues!

What's new?

Another month has come and gone...where does the time go? As our days drain away, so it appears do the months, all of a sudden they're over and another beginning. Wow, time flies! 

August is the month of the San Jacinto festival, so neighborhood and beach clean ups are going on, painting in El Centro, and vacationers spilling into town. The first of the festivities was the other night, crowning of Miss San Jacinto. (According to the calendar of events, this was to take place after 8pm, but the next day this picture was posted on Facebook...)

The next events are this weekend, Friday, a night of recognition for important townspeople, and Saturday a "night  of culture". 

In other news, The sand is coming back to our beach. The boats were all lined up, for a couple days not a single boat out front, the boat parking looked like in this aerial picture we found. (You can't see our house, but it's behind the white one on the point)

But...one day last week

The sand formed a barrier, then the water came in from the side, filled in the low area, and this water can't get back to sea. It's an even larger pool today, not threatening, but making it difficult to get the boats in and out.

So interesting to watch how the water, sand and fishermen change over time. We have five boats that usually park here, they are all getting the prime parking spots at the road entrance, further from shore, but safer from high tide. The other boats forced to park here are giving us new fishermen to connect with, yesterday I was given these.

This is a dinner plate, the big one is the size of a banana, no joke! So after I bonked the little one on the head to get him to quit squirming,( that's how fresh) I continued to clean them, then I cut a pineapple and took it out to share with my new neighbors.

Have been working on some painting, have a table set up in the living room, this is the "view from my art studio"

Walking and beach combing everyday this week, low tide was in the morning, and I'm on the hunt for wood. I have a large project in mind, but must gather the materials, and wait.

We had the opportunity to kayak up the PortoViejo River last weekend, it was great fun! Got up early, skipped market and got on the water before 8am, kayaked almost 2 hours, then had brunch and mimosas, what a lovely day spent in the fresh air with friends!

There were so many Pelicans, frigates and heron back in these mangroves, (hard to see without a zoom on the camera), but it was such a sight, and sounds! Awesome, and the marine layer held on just til we were done, which was nice, so we didn't get cooked. We will certainly do this again!

Lastly, we have a new dinner place to add to our rounds, Shawarma by Fransisco in San Clemente. He used to work for Pablo, so he has the recipe down pat. We went Friday before last and it was Muy Rico! We will go again, and get some meat to go...love leftovers!

Life is good! And Fresh...on the coast of Ecuador! Stay tuned, the adventure continues!